Bioresource Technology, Vol.102, No.3, 2563-2571, 2011
Co-digestion of intermediate landfill leachate and sewage sludge as a method of leachate utilization
This study examines the co-digestion of intermediate landfill leachate and sewage sludge from a municipal wastewater treatment plant. Application of leachate as a co-fermentation component increased the concentrations of soluble organic compounds (expressed as total organic carbon), ammonium nitrogen, and alkalinity in the digester influents. The biogas yield obtained from the co-fermentation of a 20:1 sewage sludge: intermediate leachate mixture was 1.30 m(3) per kg of removed volatile solids (VS), while that from a 10:1 mixture was 1.24 m(3) per kg of removed VS. These values exceeded the biogas yield for the sludge alone by 13% and 8%, respectively. The leachate addition influenced the proportion of methane to a minor extent. Increased methane yields of 16.9% and 6.2% per kg of removed VS were found for the two sewage sluge:intermediate leachate mixtures, respectively. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords:Leachate utilization;Intermediate landfill leachate;Mixed sewage sludge;Anaerobic co-digestion;Enhanced biogas production